A collection of snakes and frogs collected in the area of Porto Real, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, was bought in December 1890 and remained unidentified until now. The collection comprises 100 snakes belonging to 18 species and 152 frogs belonging to 19 species. A comparison with the herpetofauna from nearby Serra do Japi in São Paulo is made. General remarks on variation and identification are made for a number of species. Among the snakes were two specimens of Cercophis aurata (Schlegel, 1837), a species described on the basis of one specimen from Suriname, and no new specimens having been recorded until now. The new individuals cause the known area of distribution to be greatly enlarged, but such a large distribution area occurs in several other snakes as well. Morphological data, drawings of details, habitus photographs and a detailed description of the species, based on the three available specimens, are provided.